News from around the Valley, Dec. 3-9, 2015

HELP of Southern Nevada is seeking volunteers for several of the nonprofit’s holiday efforts.

Compiled by View staff

December 4, 2015 - 2:03 pm

On Nov. 7, 2015, NV Energy teamed up with Henderson Boy Scout Troop 344 to convert all five residential homes at Boys Town of Nevada to energy efficient LED lighting. Boys Town of Nevada is a nonprofit that serves nearly 1,600 children in the Las Vegas area each year. The bulbs donated by NV Energy for this project will lower energy costs and maintenance needs of Boys Town. (Special to View)

On Nov. 17, 2015, Three Square food bank held its fourth annual Agency Appreciation Breakfast to recognize the effort and dedication of its approximately 270 agency partners. These agencies provide assistance to more than 305,000 individuals struggling with food insecurity in Southern Nevada. These agency partners helped Three Square distribute more than 34 million pounds of food and grocery product, equivalent to 28 million meals, in 2014. The e

Nonprofit seeks volunteers for holidays: HELP of Southern Nevada is seeking volunteers for several of the nonprofit’s holiday efforts, including its Holiday Program Intake and its 17th annual 98.5 KLUC Chet Buchanan & The Morning Zoo Toy Drive. For more information or to volunteer, contact Joan Lima with HELP of Southern Nevada at 702-836-2114 or visit helpsonv.org. In addition, the nonprofit seeks volunteers to help with application intake from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 3 and 4 and 10 and 12. Volunteers are needed to assist clients with their applications for holiday programs at HELP of Southern Nevada’s main campus, 1600 E. Flamingo Road, to ensure that all areas of the form are completed.

Goodwill opens job boards: Goodwill.jobs is a full-service job board powered by Goodwill of Southern Nevada and offers employers an option for job postings while providing job seekers free access to open positions, the ability to create a searchable resume, as well as access to local hiring events, workshops and resource centers.

U.S.VETS seeks holiday donations: Offering both transitional and permanent housing, more than 300 formerly homeless veterans call U.S.VETS — Las Vegas their home. While in housing, veterans are reuniting with family, rejoining the workforce, regaining independence and rebuilding their lives. This holiday season, the local community is encouraged to help grant wishes of these veterans by participating in the Veteran Holiday Wish List Project. Individuals wanting to donate can visit usvetsinc.org/lasvegas to view the personal stories and holiday wishes of veterans participating in U.S.VETS programs.

Diaper drive: Local moving company Two Men and a Truck is set to participate in an inaugural diaper drive put on by the Las Vegas Diaper Bank. Operation Dry Bottom is set to be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Nacho Daddy parking lot at 9560 W. Sahara Ave. Diapers collected will be distributed to low-income families through local nonprofitssuch as Baby’s Bounty, Centro de Adoracion Familiar, Chapel of Improvement Fellowship Diaper Ministry, Life Line Outreach, and Women & Children’s Center of the Sierra. Call 702-545-6356.

Yes! toy drive: Yes! Air Conditioning and Plumbing has announced a holiday toy drive to benefit USO Las Vegas. Through Dec. 10, residents can visit the company’s office at 6275 S. Pioneer Way between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to drop off new, unwrapped toys. Donations will be delivered to the USO Las Vegas to be given to children of military families.

Wet’n’Wild coat drive: Wet’n’Wild Las Vegas recently announced it is spearheading a Coats in the Cabana Drive, a charity effort designed to collect new or gently used clean coats for men, women and children for The Salvation Army, the Shade Tree and Child Haven during the winter months. Community members who donate will receive a $10 coupon toward a 2016 Wet’n’Wild Season Pass for each coat donated. Coat donations will be accepted through Dec. 11. Among businesses serving as drop-off locations are:

Matt Smith tody drive: Matt Smith Physical Therapy and Desert Valley Therapy, ATI Physical Therapy Companies, are holding their annual toy drive benefiting Light of the World Childhood Cancer Foundation through Dec. 11. Community members are asked to donate new, unwrapped toys or gift cards. It is requested that stuffed toys not be donated. Items can be dropped off at donation boxes located inside any 15 of the valley’s Matt Smith/ATI Physical Therapy locations. Visit mattsmithpt.com.

AFAN seeking donations for children: The nonprofit’s Holiday Toy Drive for Southern Nevada newborns to age 17 infected or affected by HIV/AIDS is set to run through Dec. 11. People can drop off new, unwrapped toys to the Aid for AIDS of Nevada office, 1120 Almond Tree Lane, or to Maximum Comics locations: 5130 S. Fort Apache Road, No. 285; 7950 W. Tropical Parkway, No. 120; or 520 Marks St. Monetary donations can be made at afanlv.donordrive.com or by mailing checks to: AFAN-Toy Drive/Holiday Party, 1120 Almond Tree Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89104. Visit afanlv.org or call 702-383-8095.

Holiday gift drive for youths: “Jersey Boys” is set to wrap up its Four Seasons of Kindness campaign with Sunny 106.5 with a holiday gift drive benefiting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada. Contributors who make a $20 donation or more of new winter clothing at Sunny Studios, 2880 Meade Ave., will receive one ticket to see the show at Paris Las Vegas for a Sunny Night Out Dec. 11. Those who contribute a donation of $40 or more of new winter clothing may receive two tickets at maximum. Donations can be made through Dec. 10. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada are asking supporters for new winter clothing for teens ages 12-18, including coats, jackets, long sleeve shirts, jeans, etc. All clothing items must have tags, and contributors must provide proof of purchase to receive a ticket. Visit jerseyboysinfo.com/vegas/4SeasonsOfKindness.

Feed a Family: Arizona Charlie’s Casinos is planning its fourth annual Feed a Family program through Dec. 15. Ace/PLAY card members have the opportunity to contribute their points toward providing families in need with meals during the season. For every 12,000 ace/PLAY points contributed, Arizona Charlie’s will provide boxes filled with holiday meal classics to the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority. Visit arizonacharlies.com.

Law classes: The Clark County Law Library and Nevada Legal Services are scheduled to host new classes in estate planning from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 15 and in bankruptcy/consumer rights from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 16. The classes are free, but seating is limited. To register, call 702-455-4696. A free class on how to seal criminal records and restore civil rights in Nevada is also planned from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays at the Clark County Law Library, 309 S. Third St., Suite 400, through Dec. 16. Email AskInfo@ClarkCountyNV.gov.

Downtown rehab project results: In honor of Veteran’s Day, Wynn Las Vegas and Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas joined to help rehabilitate Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Nov. 14 and 15. More than 200 Wynn employee volunteers came together to provide repair and renovation to Veterans Village, a transitional and permanent housing facility for United States Veterans. Volunteers spent days repairing and providing an all-over facelift to the 125-unit complex with fresh paint on the exterior of the building; installation and updating of the flooring and molding; and maintenance in plumbing and bathroom fixtures. Visit veteransvillagelasvegas.org.

Donate at Smith’s: Through Dec. 28, Smith’s customers may add a $1, $5 or $10 donation to their grocery orders. The contribution will then be converted into Smith’s gift cards for local food banks to purchase meat, grocery items, dairy or other needed items. Visit smithsfoodanddrug.com.

Donation match campaign: Through the end of the year, donations made to Three Square food bank will be matched by seven corporations and businesses as part of the $250,000 Holiday Match Challenge. Backing the significant Holiday Match Challenge are Las Vegas Valley businesses Barrick Gold, Boyd Gaming, Crovetti Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, IGT, L.L. Bradford, CPA’s, Towbin Automotive Group and UnitedHealthcare. Visit threesquare.org.

Egg donation: On Nov. 20, Three Square Food Bank received more than 40,000 eggs from Hickman’s Family Farms to support families in need during the holidays.

Charitable foundation grant: The Bank of America Charitable Foundation announced $230,000 in grants to 20 nonprofits dedicated to hunger relief and basic human services. In total, these grants will impact approximately 350,000 Southern Nevadans and provide nearly 500,000 meals and other basic human services. Visit bankofamerica.com/about.

Mojave Max Emergence Contest: The contest opened Nov. 5 for Las Vegas Valley students to guess when Mojave Max, a tortoise at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Visitor Center, will come out of his brumation in the spring. The person who guesses as closely as possible to the correct day, hour and minute when Max will emerge from his burrow wins. Anyone can enter, but only one winner from Clark County in grades kindergarten through 12 who is enrolled in public, private or registered home schools is eligible to win. The grand prize winner and his or her entire class will win T-shirts, Mojave Max Olympic-style medals, a pizza party and a field trip to Red Rock Canyon to see Max. The winner also receives a laptop computer, a digital camera and an America the Beautiful yearlong pass to national parks and federal recreational areas. The winner’s teacher will receive a laptop computer. To enter, visit mojavemax.com and click on the “Emergence Contest” button. Visit clarkcountynv.gov.

Basketball signups: Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada is accepting basketball league signups for children and coaches. Boy’s recreational basketball league signups for ages 5 to 12 are available at six locations across the Las Vegas Valley: the Lied Memorial Clubhouse, Southern Highlands Clubhouse, Donald W. Reynolds Clubhouse, John C. Kish Clubhouse, Andre Agassi Clubhouse, and James Boys & Girls Clubhouse. Prices start at $65, and the fee includes a 2016 membership to Boys & Girls Clubs, practice and game schedules and team jerseys. The league fees are used to maintain the facilities and gymnasiums as well as fund Boys & Girls Clubs programs across the city. Club sports leagues are open to youths ages 5 to 12 years old. Visit bgcsnv.org.